Blind No More?

FDA has given biotech company Advanced Cell Technology the go-ahead to test a treatment for macular degeneration using human embryonic stem cells in a clinical trial, says Jennifer Welsh at the 80beats blog. Researchers at Advanced Cell Technology suggest that implanting hESCs in these patients could end retinal pigment epithelial cell death and reverse blindness; using this approach, the team saw improved vision in rats, Welsh says. The first trial will include 12 patients to determine the safety and tolerability of transplanting hESCs for this purpose, she adds. Advanced Cell Technology had also previously been approved to conduct a similar trial on patients with a rare juvenile form of the disease.